South Goa too will get best facilities: CM

13 Jan 201806:34am IST

13 Jan 201806:34am IST

Report byTeam Herald

Parrikar overviews various development projects taking place in South Goa including sewerage lines, district hospital, land for garbage treatment plant etc

MARGAO: “South Goa too is a part of Goa and will get all the best facilities that Goa gets,” said the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar after inaugurating the North Main Trunk sewer line replacement work.

The work of providing, laying, joining, testing and commissioning of sewer pipeline by trenchless method (HDD Method Er Micro Tunneling), including construction of manholes, inspection chambers and reinstatement of the North Trunk Main Fatorda, Margao was inaugurated at the hands of CM Manohar Parrikar.

The old sewerage line that was laid in the 80s is sought to be replaced with a new like in two phases. While the first phase will cover the area from the new premises of Presentation Convent to the Sewerage Treatment Plant, in the second phase the line from Presentation Convent to Arlem junction will be replaced.

The old line was either of mud or RCC pipes which has deteriorated totally and at places sewage has started flowing in the reverse while many chambers have collapsed and sewage is spilling out in the open in the fields and posing a great health hazard.

While the entire project of replacing the line is estimated at Rs 125 crore, the first phase has been tendered for Rs 93 crore and will involve connecting 12 branch lines to the new line with each branch line collecting sewerage from around 60 to 70 households.

"South Goa is the part of Goa and development is fundamental right, which comes with a duty too. The Rs 100 crore project passed for Fatorda is not a small thing and I am happy for the people of the constituencies," Parrikar said.

While speaking on the sewerage scheme for entire Goa he said Sal is filled with mud and hence water doesn't pass. The flooding of the plains on the embankments of the Sal is the fallout of the same. We will have to incur Rs 200 to 300 crore for each town to make Goa sewage free. Medium towns are yet to come under sewerage schemes, he added.

Speaking on the work of the District Hospital, the CM said, “Till May 2018 the District hospital too will be open for admissions. We have reviewed the work and according to the agency, furniture and the works will be finished by May. One or two months, more or less for the installation of additional equipment and the hospital will be open for all," he said.

Chief Minister also told that 48,000 square metre land has been earmarked for Margao garbage treatment and the work of the plant will start soon. "We have to think straight and find solutions for the problems we are facing now. It is not easy; I know I am monitoring it day to day. There is a dream, a dream to make Goa the most environment-friendly, garbage-free state in the country. We soon will flood the market with cloth bags and expect to have a plastic-free state soon, he added.